Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Honda Accord owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My daughter was in an accident on 9/28/2021 and the air bag exploded and she said it burned her but it was actually some type of metal. The vehicle was inspected by the insurance company. I ended up buying the vehicle back and when the car was delivered to the repairman, it was note that is was a faulty air bag. I am not sure about the other questions as it relates to warning lamps, ect.. It has been inspected by State Farm, the car is still in my possession. I was advised to report the airbag blowout. It was stated on my Market valuation Report under Supplemental information that HONDA is recalling certain 2003-2012 Honda Accord for incorrectly installed air bag may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury. NHTSA Campaign ID 18v268000, 19v182000, 19v378000 & 19v502000.
The contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that there was an engine misfire. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated; however, the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred almost every two months. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
While making a right turn from a stop sign on a side road and upward incline the vehicle lost power to the wheels and was unable to complete the turn onto a main road. Loss of ability to move the vehicle ( appeared to be in neutral ) posed a risk since there could have been traffic on the main road that could have caused an accident. The car could also have slid back to damage another car at the back. There was no accident in this case. Vehicle was towed to an independent service center - it was determined that the right side front axle shaft had broken-snapped "in the middle".
This was the second incident, while I was stopped at the red light, as the light turned green I let go of brake and applied the gas and suddenly the RPM went to almost red line and I was real lucky to be able to put the gear shifter in to neutral and pull over and turned the engine off, few minutes later started the engine and it was normal again, this was the second time in a month that this happened first time I didn't even apply any gas my foot was still on the brake pedal, I will be calling American Honda to report this also and will take my car to the dealer, but they said this problem is not going to show on the scanners, the service advisor told me that he has heard about this, but has not seen one in person, I told him to do a google search and he can see this problem with Honda's all over the internet. …
The vtc actuator on my Honda Accord has been making a rattling sound during an engine cold startup for over a year now. After calling the customer service line they stated that it was not under a recall and that this problem would not cause any damage or reliability issues. However, the sound has been getting worse and the other day, while driving, my wife lost all power in the middle of the road; this is an extremely unsafe situation. After taking it to the service department at the dealership they said the problem is associated with the vtc actuator and we will need to replace this actuator with a redesigned actuator at a cost of $1600(including suggested part changes while the work is being done). The cost is not important to me, it is the safety aspect of the situation that's troublesome. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. The contact stated the vehicle rolled out of the driveway while the gear was in park and crashed into a house which pushed the bedroom wall and window out. The gear was still in park after the vehicle was driven away from the scene. There were minor scratches on the bumper. No one in the house suffered injuries. The manufacturer investigated the failure and stated that there was no evidence that the transmission or ignition was defective. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 51,983. Updated 04/03/2013
Recenly purchaced this 09accord ex coupe automatic 5speed 4 cylinder from a used dealership with no warrenty. 3 or 4 days lateri noticed a brief but loud rattle from the engine compartment only on cold start up. I have researched this and there are thousands of posts on this issue and I definetly can be a very serious safty issue if the engine becomes damaged whild driving with this issue with the vtc actuator. I shouldnt have to pay for this repair as there is a TSB on the issue that clearly stares it as a defect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Honda Accord. When the vehicle was started, a rattling noise emerged from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was transmission failure. The dealer confirmed the diagnosis. The contact stated that the failure occurred for the last two years and was getting worse. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,153.
"6 speed manual transmission will not shift into 3rd gear" when accelerating at a slow to moderate pace, the transmission will not enter 3rd gear when shifting from 2nd gear. The problem occurs randomly and is therefore a danger to everyone on the road. Honda 3rd gear TSB on 6 speed manual transmissions did not resolve the issue. For a thorough description of this issue as described by another please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v_j9ct2jrq
The car makes metal grinding noise when start the engine in the morning or when the engine is cool down. The noise last about 1 to 2 seconds but it's very loud. Mechanics insisted it's okay to drive. It's happened for a few months now and I am just afraid that something will be break very soon.
Related recalls
Power train › Automatic transmission › Control module (TCM/PCM/tecm)
Honda is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 accord, 2007-2010 cr-v, and 2005-2008 element passenger cars manufactured from July 1, 2004, through September 3, 2010. The outer race of the secondary shaft bearing May be broken during certain driving styles.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners and dealers will update the automatic transmission control module software free of charge. The safety recall began on August 27, 2011.
Transmission complaints in other Accord years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2009 Honda Accord?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2009 Honda Accord, 5% of the model year's 727 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Honda Accord transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-395 (control module (tcm/pcm/tecm), Aug 4, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2009 Honda Accord transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles, and 27% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.